Big Bird promotes COVID-19 vaccine for children on CNN, Ted Cruz says 'Sesame Street' engaging in 'propaganda' targeting kids



"Sesame Street" has entered the culture wars. There was swift kickback after "Sesame Street" launched a campaign to push for children as young as five to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which included a CNN town hall with the puppets. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) labeled the initiative to promote the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine as "government propaganda."

"Sesame Street" characters launched a coordinated campaign to promote the COVID-19 vaccine to kids last week. The initiative began days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 through 11.

"Sesame Street" characters appeared on a CNN town hall on Saturday morning titled "The ABCs of COVID Vaccines." The town hall was hosted by CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta and CNN anchor Erica Hill, who answered questions about the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine from the hand puppets.

Don't miss our next family town hall, "The ABCs of COVID Vaccines", airing tomorrow at 8:30am ET on @CNN. Join all your friends from the neighborhood as we hear expert answers to questions from real families!pic.twitter.com/RiIrWEwQYq

— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) 1636135775

NEW - Sesame Street with American TV network CNN telling kids to get the #COVID19 vaccines.pic.twitter.com/wtePXAxrgy

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) 1636202738

CNN teamed up this morning with Sesame Street for a COVID vaccine \u201ctown hall\u201d to convince 5-to-11-year-olds and their parents to get the young children vaccinated.\n\nBig Bird, portrayed as a 6-year-old, is urged to get vaccinated, and he does at the end of the special. A taste:pic.twitter.com/hlSY04w6om

— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) 1636222432

Beloved characters such as Big Bird, Elmo, Grover, and Oscar the Grouch advocated for children to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The official accounts posted messages on Twitter. Coincidentally, the social media platform requires people using the service to be 13 years of age or older.

I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.\n\nMs. @EricaRHill even said I\u2019ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!

— Big Bird (@BigBird) 1636204140

Super Grover may have many special superpowers, but he also knows when to ask a friend for help! Thank you @KizzyPhD for teaching us aaaaall about COVID-19 vaccines at the town hall today!

— Grover (@Grover) 1636206540


Well this stinks. Apparently, the COVID-19 vaccines won\u2019t make you feel grouchy at all! That's what @KizzyPhD said at today's town hall, anyway. You might get a sore arm and feel tired, so at least there\u2019s that.

— Oscar the Grouch (@OscarTheGrouch) 1636207560

"My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy. Ms. @EricaRHill even said I've been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!" the official Twitter account for Big Bird wrote.

Cruz reacted by writing, "Government propaganda...for your 5 year old!"

Government propaganda\u2026for your 5 year old!https://twitter.com/bigbird/status/1456971880666046465\u00a0\u2026

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) 1636236713

Other conservative commenters were concerned that the children's TV show was promoting the newly-approved COVID-19 vaccine for kids.

Newsmax host Steve Cortes: "This kind of propaganda is actually evil. Your children are not statistically at risk, and should not be pressured into a brand new treatment. Do Not Comply!"

Author Brigitte Gabriel: "Sesame Street is now indoctrinating toddlers. What a disgrace."

Political commentator Lauren Chen: "Who is the target of the Sesame Street vaccine outreach? Parents who trust Elmo & Big Bird with their children's medical decisions? Toddlers who are on Twitter and tune in to CNN? It makes no sense."

Podcast host Liz Wheeler: "I love how the same people who don't want us to listen to Joe Rogan & Aaron Rodgers about the covid vaccine, want us to listen to Big Bird & Elmo."

Radio host Larry O'Connor: "'Mommy, Daddy... Big Bird says I should get the shot to keep the Muppets safe! Why won't you let me get it?'"

Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe: "Brainwashing children who are not at risk from COVID. Twisted."

Previously, Joe Rogan questioned Gupta about the statistical risks of children being infected with COVID-19, which the neurosurgeon didn't offer many answers.

.@joerogan challenges TV doctor @drsanjaygupta on forcing children to get vaccinated.\n\nIt's as if it's the first time he's left his pro-mandate bubble & he's forced to consider a coherent argument against vaccine mandates. Watch...pic.twitter.com/4sv1VAS532

— Young Americans for Liberty (@YALiberty) 1634160600

In U.S. children ages 5-11, there have been 94 COVID-19 deaths (1.7% of all deaths among U.S. children ages 5–11) between Jan. 1, 2020, and Oct. 18, 2021, according to the CDC.

Last week, Pfizer released a commercial that characterized young children who participated in the COVID-19 vaccine trial as "superheroes." The controversial commercial from the multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation was also described as "propaganda" aimed at children.

CNN's defense of its 'incorrect' Joe Rogan-ivermectin coverage blasted by WaPo media critic as 'more like ... an advocacy group than a journalism outfit'



Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple blasted CNN in an op-ed Thursday, not only over the cable network's coverage of Joe Rogan's bout with COVID-19, during which the podcaster took medically prescribed ivermectin to treat the infection — but also over CNN's defense of its reporting.

What are the details?

Given that multiple CNN on-air personalities repeatedly declared that Rogan was taking "horse dewormer" rather than the human dose of ivermectin, Wemple said that "the network's coverage was slanted in some cases and straight-up incorrect in others."

Indeed, Wemple cited Scott Phillips of the Washington Poison Center in Seattle, who told the media critic that "if you're prescribed the FDA human version [of ivermectin] then you're not taking a horse pill."

What's more, after Rogan told CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta that CNN "out and out lied" about his ivermectin use, Gupta admitted to Rogan that CNN "shouldn't have said" the podcaster was taking "horse dewormer":

With all those hard facts at his disposal, Wemple asked CNN for an explanation — and here's the statement the media critic said the cable network sent him:

The heart of this debate has been purposely confused and ultimately lost. It's never been about livestock versus human dosage of Ivermectin. The issue is that a powerful voice in the media, who by example and through his platform, sowed doubt in the proven and approved science of vaccines while promoting the use of an unproven treatment for covid-19 — a drug developed to ward off parasites in farm animals. The only thing CNN did wrong here was bruise the ego of a popular podcaster who pushed dangerous conspiracy theories and risked the lives of millions of people in doing so.

'More like the work of an advocacy group'

While Wemple gave CNN points for some aspects of its statement, he ultimately took the the cable network to task for its response, saying it "sounds more like the work of an advocacy group than a journalism outfit."

Wemple added in his final paragraph that "you don't have to endorse Rogan to abhor CNN's coverage of this topic. Here's a network, after all, that prides itself on impeccable factual hygiene, a place where there's no conceptual hair too fine to split, no political statement too sprawling to flyspeck. It's tough living by your own standards."

This wasn't the first time Wemple took CNN or other left-leaning news outlets to task. In March he appeared on the cable network's "Reliable Sources" program and appeared to shock far-left host Brian Stelter by ripping the "love-a-thons" between then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo.

And in late 2019, Wemple blasted MSNBC host Rachel Maddow for "misleading and dishonest" coverage of Russia and the Steele dossier.

What's the background?

After Rogan announced last month that he caught COVID-19, CNN's Anderson Cooper said — above a headline reading, "Joe Rogan announces he has COVID; praises horse dewormer ivermectin" — the drug is "more often used to deworm horses."

CNN's chief media correspondent Brian Stelter joined in: "But when you have a horse deworming medication that's discouraged by the government that actually causes some people in this crazed environment we're in to actually want to try it, that's the upside-down world we're in with figures like Joe Rogan."

At least the physician on the panel, Dr. Leana Wen, admitted that ivermectin can be prescribed for humans — but again, no clarifying words from her that Rogan received the medication properly.

Joe Rogan says he tested positive for Covid-19youtu.be

Wemple noted that CNN anchor Jim Acosta a few days later played video of Rogan's COVID infection disclosure and added, "In case you missed it, Rogan said ivermectin. Yes, that's the deworming medicine made to kill parasites in farm animals and, weirdly, is being promoted by right-wing media figures and even some politicians as a COVID treatment."

Rogan was not happy and floated the idea of a lawsuit, saying CNN is "making s**t up."

And even after Gupta's admission that his own network shouldn't have said Rogan was taking "horse dewormer," Gupta later that day appeared on Don Lemon's CNN show to talk about his interview with Rogan — and they completely glossed over and spun Rogan's issues with CNN's coverage of the podcaster's COVID-19 treatments:

"I will talk to them," @DrSanjayGupta told @JoeRogan after Gupta said on the podcast that it was wrong for CNN to d… https://t.co/41iCUZ4jE7

— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) 1634237432.0

Even CNN contributor Mary Katharine Ham ripped her cable network's coverage of the Joe Rogan-ivermectin controversy, saying CNN engaged in "dishonest" and "bulls**t" reporting.

VIDEO: CNN's Don Lemon, Dr. Sanjay Gupta completely gloss over Joe Rogan's assertion that network 'lied' about him taking 'horse de-wormer' to fight COVID



The video of podcaster Joe Rogan taking to task CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta over his network's "lie" that Rogan took "horse de-wormer" to battle his COVID-19 infection — when, in fact, his ivermectin was prescribed by a doctor — is pretty stunning to watch.

As most folks still willing to embrace the truth know by now, there's ivermectin for animals and ivermectin for humans. And no, humans shouldn't take the ivermectin for animals.

'Yeah, they shouldn't have said that'

"Do you think that that's a problem that your news network lies?" Rogan asked Gupta. "First of all it was prescribed to me by a doctor."

"Yeah, they shouldn't have said that," Gupta replied "If you got a human pill — because there were people that were taking the veterinary medication, and you're not obviously; you got it from a doctor, so it shouldn't be called that."

Gupta then tried to change the subject, but Rogan wouldn't let him off the hook just yet.

"Does it bother you that the news network you work for out and out lied?" Rogan asked him. "Just outright lied about me taking horse de-wormer?"

Gupta confessed again: "They shouldn't have said that."

"Why did they do that?" Rogan asked.

"I don't know," Gupta answered.

"You didn't ask?" Rogan replied incredulously. "You're the medical guy over there."

"I didn't ask," Gupta responded contritely. "I should have asked before coming on your podcast."

Joe Rogan asks Sanjay Gupta if it bothers him that CNN outright lied about Rogan taking horse dewormer to recover f… https://t.co/1nvKUS3wES

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) 1634179170.0

Wow! Could that mean we might actually be getting somewhere with embracing facts, ending spin, and conducting proper journalism?

Apparently no.

What happened?

Because Gupta appeared on Don Lemon's CNN show later Wednesday, and the pair proceeded to completely gloss over the network's assertion that Rogan took horse de-wormer and ignored the fact that Rogan got a doctor's ivermectin prescription for human consumption.

"[Rogan] did say something about ivermectin that I think wasn't actually correct about CNN and lying," Lemon told Gupta, adding that "ivermectin is a drug that is commonly used as a horse de-wormer. So, it is not a lie to say that the drug is used as a horse de-wormer. I think that's important. And it is not approved for COVID. Correct?"

Gupta replied, "That's right. That's correct. It is not approved for COVID. And, you're right. I mean, the FDA even put out a statement ... that said 'you're not a horse, you're not a cow, stop taking this stuff'" in reference to ivermectin.

The doctor continued, saying "now I think what Joe's point is" before Lemon cut him off — perhaps Gupta was about to bring up the fact that Rogan took ivermectin for humans. But we'll never know.

"It's been approved for humans but not necessarily for COVID, right?" Lemon said, failing to clarify that Rogan actually did take the proper prescription as opposed to the one for animals.

"That's correct," Gupta replied. "It's been used for a parasitic disease for something called river blindness, and it's been very effective for that. But, you know, just because it works for one thing doesn't mean it works for something else. And there are still a few ongoing clinical trials around ivermectin. But for the most part, if you look at the data, there's no evidence that it really works here."

He continued saying that when Rogan "got sick, he took ivermectin." Again, no mention that it was properly prescribed by a doctor. Gupta added that "he also took monoclonal antibodies, which is, you know, an infusion of these antibodies. So, he took both those things. It's very likely it was the monoclonal antibodies that made him feel better so quickly."

"I will talk to them," @DrSanjayGupta told @JoeRogan after Gupta said on the podcast that it was wrong for CNN to d… https://t.co/41iCUZ4jE7

— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) 1634237432.0

Spin, spin, and spin some more

CNN talking heads could legitimately argue all day long that the FDA has discouraged ivermectin use to treat COVID-19 — that's factual. They could legitimately argue some humans are taking it improperly — that's factual.

But saying Rogan used horse de-wormer isn't factual. When a human is medically prescribed ivermectin, it's for humans, not horses or other animals. But CNN indeed downplayed that last month, as Anderson Cooper — on top of a headline reading, "Joe Rogan announces he has COVID; praises horse dewormer ivermectin" — said the drug is "more often used to de-worm horses."

CNN's chief media correspondent Brian Stelter echoed that spin: "But when you have a horse de-worming medication that's discouraged by the government that actually causes some people in this crazed environment we're in to actually want to try it, that's the upside-down world we're in with figures like Joe Rogan."

At least the physician on the panel, Dr. Leana Wen, admitted that ivermectin can be prescribed for humans — but again, no clarifying words that Rogan received the medication properly.

Joe Rogan says he tested positive for Covid-19youtu.be

All of which might explain why Rogan also told Gupta during his podcast, "My point is you're working for a news organization. If they're lying about a comedian taking horse medication, what are they telling us about Russia? What are they telling us about Syria? Do you understand that that's why people get concerned about the veracity of the news?"